Our little boat broke last August. We originally thought that we'd be done with the boat. The price to fix it was more than the boat was worth. After reviewing it though John decided that we could fix it ourselves. He bought a kick butt manual and read through it multiple times. A friend of ours had a motor that was broken and we could have it. Luck would have it that the head was broken on the other motor (Evinrude - just like ours, but a 50 horse instead of a 65 horse) and the lower end unit was broken on ours. We could just switch the lower end unit out - no problem. We took the lower end unit off, with lots of help from a neighbor (advice) and replaced it with the on from a friends. Then we bought gaskets for the head and put the top of the motor back together. We bought lubricant for the unit and greased everything up. The fly wheel turned which was good. The test, hook up the hose, turn on the water, and start it up. Yes, it started and went in reverse and kind of in forward. The next test - take it out on the water. Wiser Lake here we come. Into the water we went. It went great in reverse but when we put it in forward not so well. In fact, not at all. Home we went, another consultation with the neighbors. Oh, there was just one small adjustment on the cable for going forward. Made that adjustment and put the hose back on it, turned on the water, started it up and put it in forward. Yes, it spun great. Next test, Wiser Lake. Here are the photos from the day.

Notre petite bateau etait casse. John fait les reparations tout seul. Je ne comprends pas tous mais il est achete un livre and suivre les instructions. Un ami de nous avais un autre moteur bateau qui etait casse aussi, mais il avais un autre problem. Alors on peut l'utiliser pour notre bateau. Apres trois semaine, nous pense que le bateau est reparer. On vas dans un petit lac pres de nous et met le bateau dans l'eau. Il vas en revers tres bien mais pas en tous doit. Alors il y deja un problem. On prends le bateau a notre maison encorse. John regard un petit chose et tourn un tringle. Est-ce que ca marche? Oui, on pense. Alors c'est temp d'aller au lac encore. On met le bateau dans l'eau encorse et il va en revers et tous doit. Les garcons essayent faire ski natique. C'est difficult mais apres deux ou trois fois, il peut faire le ski un peu. Lona pas de tout. Elle aime le tube.
Unfortunately, we have no photos of the boys skiing (they both got up on the skis). We didn't have a ski handle so John improvised and used pvc pipe. Works great for two little boys, not so great for the mother. We bent it and then tore in into two pieces. Bummer. But we brought the tube with us and had great fun.

Lona is a little nervous on the boat. She always has been. She wanted to go very slow and always with someone. Lona fait souci dans le bateau. Elle est toujours comme ca. Alors dans le tube on vas lentement et avec un autre person.


Isaac's hair kills me. They were both very happy to go together. Les cheveux de Isaac est amusent. Lona et Isaac sont content d'aller ensemble.

Maybe a little too fast. Peut-etre c'est tros vite.

Job's motto is the faster the better. Pour Job, le plus vite est le mieux.

Isaac talked Job into going with him. Job likes all the bumps and Isaac wanted to avoid them all.
Isaac demande a Job d'aller avec lui. Job aimes tout les vagues et Isaac ne les aimes pas.

What a dare devil. Il est un peu un casse-cou.

His mean face is on. Sa visage est terrible.

This has always been Lona's coping mechanism for the boat - to just fall asleep and forget about it. Toujours Lona dors pendent on est dans l'eau. Elle est vraiment souci alors elle peut oblier tous comme ca.

It was surprising how warm the water was. I was in the water to help both boys get their skis on and to help them keep their skis straight, hold the rope and get started again. Job just floated around while we put the boat on the trailer. New vocabulary for him. The water was so convincing to him. How funny.

Je suis surprise que l'eau etait chaud. J'etait dans l'eau d'aider les garcon faire les ski natique. Quand c'est temp de partir, Job nage dans l'eau. Il dit que c'est terrifique.


(Note: I've been trying to work on my french so I'm writing in both english and french. Hopefully my family in France will be able to read some of it. My spelling is terrible and the grammer is worse. J'essaise de travailler avec mon francais alors je commence d'ecrire en francaise et anglais pour le practique. Mon orthographe est terrible est aussi mon grammaire. S'il vous plait excuse-moi)